Bread & Butter: Cuban food finds a home at Sausalito's Divino

What's authentic Cuban food and music doing in an Italian restaurant? Cuban-born Osteria Divino chef Ricardo Sarda wants to introduce the tastes of his homeland to Marin.

By the time Sarda was 25 years old he was the "maestro de cocina" at the Hotel Capri in Havana. He moved to South Florida and worked at Sergio's Cuban Restaurant in Coral Gables.

He's been offering the tastes of homeland at a pop-up restaurant within the popular Caledonia Street restaurant. The next one is from 6 to 11 p.m. Nov. 12. Look for traditional Cuban sandwich, arroz con pollo Cubano, lechon asado, calamar en su tinta and paella Cubana as well as black beans and rice, tostones, yucca con mojo, frijoles negros as well as flan.

The "pay-as-you-will" dinner, part of its monthly fundraising La Boulange Fridays, will benefit MALT. The dinner is at La Boulange at 2325 Pine St. in San Francisco. Call 440-0356 or go to www.laboulange bakery.com.

Left Bank Brasserie in Larkspur is celebrating from Nov. 15 through 17 with Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais Nouveau 2012 ($10.25 a glass, $26 half-carafe, $36 a bottle) along with a $40 three-course prix-fixe menu, a special selection of pâtés maison and the regular a la carte offerings available at lunch and dinner.

"The Domaine Dupeuble vines are between 50 and 100 years old, thus qualify this Beaujolais Nouveau to be a young wine made from old vines," according to Master Sommelier Eric Entrikin. "The Domaine has been in existence since 1512."

Left Bank Brasserie is at 507 Magnolia Ave. in Larkspur. Call 927-3331 or go to www.leftbank.com.

Gingerbread wishes

Move over sugar plums and make way for Gingerbread Wishes.

The annual fundraiser at Larkspur's Tavern at Lark Creek and Yankee Pier will be available through November.

The star-shaped gingerbread cookie can be decorated at the restaurants or at home, but the best part is that all the proceeds from the cookies ($10) go to Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area.

St. Mary's College in Moraga alumnae Brendan Moylan, class of 1983, has created a new brew to celebrate his alma mater for its 150th anniversary. Called Gaelebration Ale, it combines centennial, cascade and ahtanum hops to make a crisp American pale ale.

The ale is sold on draft at Moylan's Brewery and Restaurant and in 22-ounce bottles, 64-ounce growlers and 5-gallon kegs. Moylan's Brewery and Restaurant is at 15 Rowland Way in Novato. Call 898-4677 or go to www.moylans.com.

No more Breakfast

Mill Valley's Second Breakfast, open since May, is closing Nov. 15 but it won't be gone for good. Owner Kevin Ries says he'll be serving his bacon-heavy fusion food from a food truck that he hopes to have on the street by December.

"A lot of people didn't know we were here," the Tam High grad says of his location at 401 Miller Ave., Suite B.